Beating January

I earned my Blue Belt in June of last year, but didn't really start training for the next level until September. It has been exactly 145 days since then.

I should complete the training for my next level 433 days from now.

I'm trying to accelerate this, as it is such a ridiculously long road.

Helen and I plan on spending a few months in LA starting next January. While there, I will train like a lunatic at the main Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. I want to complete my current level and test before we go.

An unknown is how long it will take me to perform my test.

The test consists of 6 parts. Three are 15 minute long demonstrations of specific techniques. The other three are 5 minute long sparring sessions. It takes several attempts to perform any one part well enough to submit for testing. If you can do one in a day you are doing well.

So you might think, “Six days. Big deal.” Wrongo.

It is realistic to plan on a couple of days of review for each part, and then a day to actually do and video it, at least for the three technique sections. I'd call it a week each.

The sparring is incredibly draining. You do over and over with the camera going. No need to review ahead of time. As soon as a good one happens, you're done. Time to move on to the next type of test sparring. I bet I'll never get more than one done a night. Let's call that another week altogether.

Three weeks for technique testing, and a fourth for the sparring. That's a month.

In January, we go to LA so I want the test done and submitted before that. We only train for the first half of December. That means I need to be finished with the curriculum and starting the testing by the middle of November. Assuming unforeseen delays, I'd better shoot for the start of November to be safe.

That means completing 433 days of training in 280 days.

It might be impossible, but I'm on it.